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Sunday, April 26, 2009

The Israeli secret service does not want Pope Benedict XVI during his trip to the Holy Land to travel in the open "Papa Mobile" through Nazareth. There were indications of an attack planned by Islamist groups, "Haaretz" stated on Sunday.

A delegation from the Vatican have told the Israeli authorities that the Pope thinks direct contact with the people in Nazareth us desirable. "Haaretz" reported with reference to secret service sources, that Islamists in northern Israel had been distributed pamphlets calling for a "disturbance" of the Pope's visit and an attempt on his life. The planned visit to Nazareth on 14 May falls on the same day as the commemoration day of the Palestinians of the formation of the State of Israel. Therefore, there will be unrest in Arab villages. This prepares the security authorities for further trouble.

Moreover, renovation and construction of the planned stops of the Pope's visit have not yet been completed. The biggest problem was a cattle pen which has not been cleared at the site where Benedict XVI will hold the largest Mass during his Holy Land trip. According to "Haaretz", there are still disputes over the number of the believers expected to attend each Mass. While the Ministry of Tourism speaks of 10,000 participants, the Mayor of Nazareth is hoping for 40,000 pilgrims. In the Latin Patriarchate, 30,000 participants have been mentioned.

The pope will travel in early May to the Holy Land. The visit will last from 8 to 15 May, firstly going to Jordan and then to Israel and the West Bank